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Why I Bought Overwatch

The last weekend was quite highly anticipated for some gamers, and that’s because it was the launch of Blizzard’s new FPS: Overwatch. With plenty of marketing budget and Open Beta test results that shot through the roof (even more than that of The Division and Destiny), Overwatch generated so much hype that people queued 2 hours just to get a free goodie bag of it (more on that later).

So if you’re still like some of us, you’re probably still wondering to yourself, “Should I buy this game?”

Fair question.

After all, we’ve been spoilt with awesome games in 2015 and 2016 that were mostly free, including Blizzard’s Hearthstone, which is still immensely popular. Why then, should we pay this much for a FPS, when Steam’s Counter Strike: Global Offensive, is at $15 and Team Fortress 2 is free?

Closed Beta

In comparison: The Division (6.4 million players), Battleborn (2 million players)

I played the open beta for Overwatch. Granted, I only played for 1 day. However, I was mostly hit by 2 main facts:

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO LEARN ALL THESE CHARACTERS IN A SINGLE DAY?

ISN’T THIS LIKE TEAM FORTRESS 2?

The niche covered by Overwatch is very similar to Team Fortress 2 and Battleborn (not really Counter Strike) as it’s a fun-and-colorful FPS and each class/playable character is very unique.

In each of these games, there are characters that can go offensive, defensive and support. They each play different roles and you need a good combination of each of them for a well-balanced team. However, players will soon realize that a well-balanced team doesn’t necessarily guarantee victory all the time.

You would think Overwatch would fall short when compared to the already well-established TF2. But the graphics, the quirkiness of the characters and the skill curve give players an unfamiliar but warm embrace each match as they try and experiment new characters. It’s the same same, but different.

On first impression, the big difference between OW and TF2 is the number of characters you can try and also the huge variety of powers in the game. TF2 focuses on traditional powers: Healing, rockets, flamethrowers. OW focuses on very unique powers: We have characters that can put up shields, fly around, throw shurikens, pilot a robot (and thereafter, send it in to explode) and a final ‘Bankai’ to blast your enemies into oblivion. It’s a well needed update of all the possible things a person can do in an FPS. Furthermore, the graphics are bright, colorful and cartoony, making it a less intense and ‘gritty’ shooter than CS:GO, Battlefield, and the CoD series.

This girl can literally fly around the map and rain rocket barrages all day. And that’s how you thrust your ideas forward.

The number of characters, as mentioned, are enormous (for a FPS). We have 21 characters to choose from, with a well-balanced number in each role (Offense, Defense, Tank and Support). The fun part (at least for me) would be trying out each character and then re-learning another character as you keep playing them.

Overall, it was a very entertaining game. The gameplay was well thought through and character development was top notch. You should seriously take some time to read their lore!

Combined with a hugely successful marketing campaign, Overwatch is a game bound to impress.

But US$40 is a lot of money for a game!

There’s lasers too! Don’t forget lasers!

Fair point. It takes a bit of investment to play this particular game. Furthermore, if you compare it to its counterparts TF2 and CG:GO, its a tad expensive. However, if you compare it to the entire video game market, there are games roughly around US$40-US$60 a game. The price you’re getting for a game that has high replay value is pretty worth it.

Don’t get me wrong: I would never advocate a WoW subscription. It is admittedly on the more expensive side and it’s something I would not try to convince someone to pay for, albeit it being a pretty fun game. But the initial price for OW is pretty worth it. Even Guild Wars 2 back then costed quite a penny to play, but the gameplay was worth it, and there were no subscriptions as well.

I’d rather play TF2 and Battleborn!

Tracer judges you silently

For me, I’ve never played Battleborn so I can’t really comment on it’s gameplay. However, they are reported to be on the decline:

For TF2, it’s not that it’s worse than OW. It’s just that its ‘relatable’.

I know. That’s a horrible reason.

The thing is when I play video games, I want to be ‘immersed’ into a new world. A world I could never be a part of. TF2 fulfilled that niche, but only for a short period of time. After playing it for a while, it felt no different from CS. For OW, with its many different skills and possibilities in-game, there is a much different experience. This is probably compounded by the fact that there are so many characters for you to choose from. All in all, both games are very different.

Is the world playing it?

What an understatement.

As mentioned previously, I had to queue 2 hours just to get into the Capitol Theatre only to queue another 2 hours to get a free loot box.

After much agony, I gave up. Whoops.

But the point is, the amount of awareness that entails with this game is immense, almost comparable to CS (and c’mon it’s a Blizzard game). Despite it being a pretty penny, many people don’t see the pinch in paying for it. And neither do I.

Overall, good game, delightful graphics, fun and immersive gameplay.

And lastly but certainly not the least: the characters are sexy. Both male AND female characters. A huge hit for the fanboys, as you can play sexy chicks and/or act as the cool dude at the same time.